Hydraulic chassis control



July 8, 1930. E. K. BAKER HYDRAULIC CHASSIS CONTROL Original Filed April 25. 1928 IN VE/VTOR A TTOR/VEY I Patented July 8, 1930 ERLE K. BAKER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS HYDRAULIC CHASSIS CONTROL Application filed April 25,, 1928, Serial No. 272,684. Renewed December 9, 1929.

This invention relates to improvements in hydraulic chassisco'ntrols and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended aclaims. p, a

The primary object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic suspension between correlated parts of the'chassis and supporting springs of an automobile which will elimi- 1; nate the transmission of road shocks to the chassis and will reduce side'swaying and resulting shimmying when the automobile is under way. i I

A further object of. the invention is to providea construction wherein shackle links .are omitted and onewhich may be readily made at a low cost and is self-lubricating. V

, 'Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction which readily adapts itself to the useof bumpers, and so operates upon'- meeting an obstruction orbemg bumped as to readily take and absorb the shock without imparting it to the chassis with the quick sharp jolt as occurs in con- ,structions now empl y These objects of the. invention as well as others together with the many advantages thereof will more fully appear as I proceed with my specification. I

In the drawing i Fig. 1 is a v1ew 1n s1de elevation of an automobile chassis embodying'my improved hy-- drauliccontrol. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. an enlarged scale through one of the connecting' structures betweenone end of the chassis frame member and associated spring end, the plane of the section being taken on the line 3-3 ofFigfQ; r x Fig; 4c is a top plan view of severalof the parts-shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now In acomp anying drawin .'.the chassis frame of anautomobile, 2 indi front axle and indicates the rear cates the w e p v e V axle thereof. Associated with the frontaxle are the steeringwheels and associated 50, with the rear axle, are thedrivi'ng or trac- Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on ment of the invention illustrated 'in'theac- 9;,1 indicates as a whole" tion wheels 5-5 all of which include the usual tires. I

The chassis frame includes: side frame members '6-6 and transverse connecting members 7 7 in the manner well known.

The chassisframe is supported from the front and rear axles by p'airs'of front and rear leaf springs 8 and 9 respectivelyQ In this" instance, the rear end ofeach front 1 spr-ingis pivotally connected to a bracket 10" .on the associated frame member 6 and the frontend of each rear spring is likewise piv otally connected to a bracket 11 on the associated framemember. Z j

While I. have here illustrated connections which are pivotal in characterthese connections are intended to be merely illustrative of connectio'nslwhich prevent pronounced endw s'e movement of the, springs such as a swlnging shackle would permlt.

-- As the connection between the front'ends of the front springs. and the rear ends of the rear springs are allthe same, in that each includes relatively'slidable parts actuated upon elongation of the associated spring 7 ends due toflexing of the springs, a detailed description of-one of suchconneCtions will suffice for all. Q Each end of each'chassis frame member has fixed thereto a downwardly curved horn 12 which terminates ina longitudinallyextending horizontally disposed, cylindrical stem 13 which, because of its action may be likened to a plunger. I Associated with each. stem is a hollow'casting 1ft which includes an upright casing 15 and a laterally extending barrel 16 which .slidably engages upon the plunger providedjon thefreejend ofsai'd barrel to snugly engage theplunger stem'and oneach g I f side of the'barrel is .adepending ear '18Tto l *L which the associated spring end is pivotally detall to that'iembodl connectedby a pin andbushing 19. 1

reservoir for a suitable fluid which 'i's pref; erably a lubricating oil and in'the'to aad; bottomends thereof are inlet andoutlet ope'n j ings normally closed by" screw plugs 20 and. 21 respectively. By'means of these plugs the casing may be filled anddrained for cleaning Q purposes when so necessary.

The barrel 16 has its inner end extended into the interior of the casing and is interiorly threaded to receivea plug 22 entered 'thereinto through the opposite side of the casing wall. ,In the bottom portion ofi said a plug is a one way passage 23 so controlledby" v aball valve 24 as to permit, under certain" conditions, a passage offluid from the bottom of the casing into the chamber of the s barrel between the adjacent plug and p'lun'ger end but toprevent a reverse flow, that is from said chamber "back into the bottom" of f thecasing. In thetop portion of said plug is a port 25 which Opens into the upper portion of v the casing. and a screw 26 disposed in said port controls the amount orflow'of fluid N from said vchamber into said casing so that the flow" is restricted. The construction ust" above 7 mentioned as Well as its operation is more fully setjforth in detail in my copending applicationfi-led April 4th", 1928,,unde11', Serial Number 271,015, and therefore, it is not gstruction in the roadway'as" would tend to 3o transmit the resulting shock I through the springs tothe frame, the operation isas folouter ends of the springs will 'flex down outwardly on the plunger stem thus enlarg-I Wardly thus tendingtofiatten out-and'elongateso to speak. v Thi slvwill cause a longitu dinal movementof the springey'c'fland pin 19 I ing the chamber .in thebarrel between the portfgiilhAs {he pe rtes is Itlipern'the fluid is forcej t eret ron" 1 into, t eguppler' ortion i V of "th ca sing-but aft a greatly reduced ilow' so" manner and for the purpose Intended pr g i control 'd'ue'to-the hydraulic'action mentioned and is 'slow and even, Thus i ;theitransmissioniofroadshocks or-jars to'ithe r plunger andplug ends, and producing a vacu ous condition'therein which will cause a rapid flow offluidfrom the-bottom portion ofthe casing, through the port 23 into'said chamber so that,itisfilled with fluid. So soon as the a, spring start-sto flexback toward its normal condition, the barrel moves inwardly ongthe plunger and this builds up a pressure 1 which immediately causes the ball 24 to closeofi the that the return movement of the held under frame greatly :minimized:

for eachendjof the frame: in"? that end bumps w w lias a o sar e ntr l d 17 h s: ed l pr v wi h hijra r e st' slae: bumper indicatedfasga'whole at,2Z and 2am Y spectively, a the former indicating warran (15 bar. type ivhichis in itself so formed'as to bumper; and thellattenthe rear bumper, i

I V Preferablyjf'each" bumper is of the; spring bumpersl whether from the. front or rear;

have certain resiliency. Each bumper c0m-. "prises upper and lower bumper bars 29 and 30' respectively, each formedto provide inner and outerportions 31V and 32 respectively as tween said bar portionsfa-nd also through a I clampingplateSG on the-outer faceof said bar 7 portions. 'Thereafter'nutsBT are applied to the bolt ends, and said nuts when snugly drawn up on thebolt act through the plate to; securely clamp the bumper as a whole to the si Assume that in backing up,;thelrear bump- 7 er meets ,anobstruction. This will cause first,

a slight'flexingi or straightening out of the bumper bars and at the same time an inward Qmoveme'ntof the casting on the-plunger.

Thus the chamber betweenthe plunger and "plug ends is reduced in size and such fluid as remainsfthereinis slowly forced out through the pofrt 25,to resist the movement of said casing. Asthisjmovement-is thus resisted lows: Upon meeting Su h Obstruction the,

and slowed down, the casings of course-will act to flex the springs 8 or}? and said casings will. also act to turn sllghtly on said plunger so that the shock of the bump is absorbed first nrthe bumper, nextby the hydraulic acsame to the frame is concerned? When only one wheel meets aroadbbstruction, the hydraulicmeans at thatcorner of the frame has that degree offiexibilityas will permitsaid means to operateinthe .The construction described, feliminates shackle, plates and their characteristics of permittingside sway-of the body so that i riding fqualitiies are stabilized is and made 7 v pleasant and'enj'oya ble under" any speedgf ItTreadily lendsitself to'"' :a

bmnper'c'onstruction, the parts of which are reduced to"a minimum. Again the same 'meansfemployed to'controlf road shocks are indeedactiveifi operation to control end,

bumps timpos'edp through; the

'While, in describing my 'invention' I have referred in detail to the form and arrange ment' of the partsthereof, I 'do'not wishto be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means connecting an end of each spring to the frame against substantial longitudinal movement, and means connecting the opposite end of each spring to the frame hydraul to the frame against substantial longitudinal movement, and means connecting the front ends of the front springs and the rear ends of the rear springs to the frame hydraulically to control the movement of said springs.

41.. A chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means mechanically securing the rear ends of the front springs and the front ends of the rear springs to the frame, and means for hydraulically securing the front ends of the front springs and the rear ends of the rear springs to the frame to controlsaid springs.

5. A chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, pivotal means connecting the rear ends of the front springs and the 'front ends of the rear springs to the frame, and means con-- necting the opposite ends of the springs to the frame for hydraulically controlled movement.

6. An automobile chassis construction embodying therein a frame, a bumper spaced from the end of the frame, hydraulic mechanism carried by the frame, and means connecting said bumper to said hydraulic mechanism whereby impact of the bumper is absorbed at least in part by said hydraulic mechanism.

' 7. An automobile chassis construction embodying therein a frame, a bumper spaced from the end of the frame, hydraulic mechanism carried by the frame, and means connecting said bumper to said hydraulic mechanism whereby impact of the bumper is ab sorbed at least in part by movement of said hydraulic mechanism longitudinally of the frame. I

8. An automobile chassis embodying therein a frame, springs, hydraulicmechanism carried by the frame, a bumper spaced from the end of the frame, said springs and bumper both being connected tosaid hydraulic mechanism whereby said hydraulic mechanism serves to control the action of the springs and bumper. V

9. A chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means connecting an end of each spring to the frame against substantial longitudinal movement, a, plunger rigid With respect to each end of the frame, and a l1ydra.ulic cylinder pivotally connected to the other end of each spring and each operatively engaged by'an associated plunger.

10. A' chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means connecting an end of each spring to the 'frame against substantial longitudinal movement, a longitudinally disposed plunger rigid with each end of the frame and extending away therefrom and a hydraulic cylin der pivotally connected to the other end of each'spring and each operatively engaged by an associated plunger.

11. A chassis springcontrol embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means connecting an end of each spring to the frame against substantial longitudinal movement, a longitudinally disposed plunger rigid with each end of the frame and a hydraulic cylinder pivotally connected to the other end of each spring and each operatively engaged by an associated plunger.

12. A chassis spring control embodying therein a frame, front and rear springs, means connecting the front ends of the rear springs and the rear ends of the front springs to the frame against substantial longitudinal.

movement, a horizontally disposed plunger rigid with respect to portions of the frame and hydraulic cylinders pivotally connected to the rear ends of the rear springs and the front end of the front springs and. each operatively engaged by an associated plunger. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 23rd day of April, 1928.

ERLE K. BAKER. 

